MCN Fleet
These are the 10 new-for-2020 bikes that will be joining this year’s MCN long-term test fleet. From retros to nakeds, superbikes to adventure machines, our team of highly experienced riders will be taking them on road, track and dirt – both at home and abroad – to cut through the marketing hype and find out just how well each one performs.
Along the way we’ll be testing tyres, kit and hard-parts, speaking to experts and owners, logging every tank of fuel and enjoying each and every mile in order to bring you the most thorough review possible. And if you own one of these models, please get in touch with us and we’ll compare notes.
To read each bike's full review, click on the images below. We will continue to update these pages as the year progresses. There will also be plenty of posts to social media and our #ride5000miles page.
Click on the pictures below:
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MCN Fleet 2020 videos
View a selection of expert video reviews of some of our long-term test bikes from their respective launches.
Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP
Kawasaki Z H2
Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT
BMW F900XR
Check out previous MCN Fleets below:
How does the dirt-loving Yamaha Ténéré 700 handle tedious M-roads?
22 October 2020 by
Like many riders, I’m not generally a fan of motorways. All the best bits about riding happen off the beaten track, as far as I’m concerned; whether that’s an exquisite black ribbon of twisty A-road,...
Powerhouse packhorse: Bolt-on extras unlock a more practical side to the Super Duke GT
21 October 2020 by
Equipped with a 1.3-litre V-twin and tipping the scales at a measured 236kg, you could be forgiven for thinking the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT would be a bit of a handful around town. Based on a Super...
MCN Fleet: Intercepting bad luck
20 October 2020 by
It’s been a frustrating few weeks with the Interceptor, but I’ve learnt some useful lessons. In my previous update I was almost evangelical about my new Continental rubber, and irony came home to...
MCN Fleet: It's a Streetfighting Chameleon
28 September 2020 by
Being able to change the way you bike rides and feels at the touch of a button is pretty common nowadays, thanks to the onset of modern electronics. But it really hit home just how many bikes in one...
MCN Fleet: The new Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT is ready for the off
21 September 2020 by
Right at the start of the coronavirus lockdown, I kept myself busy and did my good deeds for society by joining the Bike Shed Community Response volunteers. Spending a few days moving PPE in an...
MCN Fleet: Covid Travels for the BMW F900XR TE
14 September 2020 by
It’s my first big riding adventure of 2020. In a 'normal' year I’d have already clocked up thousands of touring miles but 2020 is proving to be anything but normal. Like many, my dreams of far-flung...
MCN Fleet: Fire and brimstone - the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP hits Silverstone
21 August 2020 by
It’s there in black and white on Honda’s website: 'The CBR1000RR-R SP is not built with a road-rider's needs in mind; the race-track is where it belongs.' The Big H have made no bones about it,...
MCN Fleet: What's new on the Honda Africa Twin?
23 July 2020 by
It’s been a strange few months, dominated by our news feeds and limitations on our freedom of movement. For me, it’s been the most riding-devoid period of the last 25 years, and I’ve not enjoyed it.
MCN Fleet: Time to hit the trails on the Triumph Tiger Rally Pro
10 March 2020 by
I want to see how the extra capacity and firing order of the Triumph Tiger 900 work on the dirt. I’ve got camping trips planned, plus I’m keen to explore the North of Scotland, and gain a clear...
MCN Fleet: Kawasaki Z H2 ready to spice up the commute
10 March 2020 by
This Kawasaki Z H2 will be the most powerful bike I’ve ever had in the garage, producing 197bhp married to 101ftlb of torque. I’m looking forward to experiencing the re-worked engine which, according...
MCN Fleet: time to wash and go
09 March 2020 by
It’s time to wave goodbye to the Honda CBR650R and I’ll be really sad to see it go. Related: full expert Honda CBR650R review on MCN One of my concerns at the start of this long-term test was that...
MCN Fleet: Waving goodbye to Kawasaki’s Green Giant
02 March 2020 by
'Christ this thing’s big… I’m not sure what I’ve got myself in for here,' is what I told myself as I wobbled out of the MCN carpark for the first-time aboard Kawasaki’s Versys 1000 SE almost a year...
MCN Fleet: Commuting is a piece of cake on the Yamaha XMAX 400
05 February 2020 by
This time of year depresses me - the days are grey, nights are long and winter feels like it’s never going to end. There is one ray of sunshine though, my daily commute on the Yamaha XMAX 400...
MCN Fleet: KTM 790 Adventure R delivers on its potential
20 January 2020 by
The start of every year is always filled with such high expectation of rides, adventures and quality time on your bike. But life is busy and it’s so easy for the summer months to drift past and you...
MCN Fleet: The cat's out of the bag for the Scrambler XE
14 January 2020 by
The look of a bike is one thing, but the sound of a bike, well now you’re talking. For me, my ultimate is a big thumping single. To my ears, it’s unbeatable. The big twin Triumph Scrambler 1200XE...
MCN Fleet: A grand off the Suzuki Katana could prove tempting
14 January 2020 by
Suzuki somewhat jumped on the bandwagon with the 2019 Katana having no doubt seen the success of the Kawasaki Z900RS. Take a tried and tested road bike, in this case the Suzuki GSX-S1000, give it a...
MCN Fleet: Torquey Triumph Speed Twin shows mercy on its stock tyres
13 January 2020 by
Looking back on those heady days of Springtime, when the tarmac was warm and the Triumph Speed Twin's odometer was only showing triple digits, I distinctly remember wondering about how much abuse the...
MCN Fleet: Simon meets another owner to swap Scrambler stories
09 January 2020 by
One of the cool things about niche bikes like the Ducati Scrambler Café Racer is that owners tend to be real enthusiasts and there are a couple of really active Facebook groups where the Scrambleristi...
MCN Fleet: Final Farewell for Ducati Diavel 1260S
28 November 2019 by
It’s been an interesting year of riding; not my most enjoyable but that’s not the fault of the beautiful Ducati Diavel 1260S. The bike’s a stunner and has a shopping list of top spec parts that...
MCN Fleet: 21 weeks, 9096 miles and one hell of a ride
12 November 2019 by
419 miles Friday 31 May. Moments after grabbing the keys to my 2019 BMW S1000RR I’m heading to the Nürburgring, marvelling at my Beemer’s lightness and low-down torque. Cruise control, heated...
MCN Fleet: Can Yamaha’s Niken GT cut it as a genuine mile-muncher?
03 October 2019 by
It’s just gone 1.30am as I fire up the Niken’s triple and prepare to negotiate my way off the Steam Packet’s catamaran on my return from the Isle of Man. I’m one of the last to leave, mainly because...
MCN Fleet: 4600 miles in on the Indian FTR1200S
16 September 2019 by
For the most part, the Indian FTR1200S is great out of the crate but (there’s always a but) the stock Dunlop DT3-R tyres leave a lot of room for improvement. In the dry they’re fine but the savage...
MCN Fleet: The BMW R1250GSA is a robot with personality
23 May 2019 by
I really wanted to find a catastrophic flaw in the BMW R1250GSA’s skill set this year. It’s nothing personal, but having covered around 35,000 miles on GSs over the last five years, the cachet of...
MCN Fleet: It's the final countdown...for the Yamaha Tracer 900GT
28 February 2019 by
Update 15: Retracing My Steps It’s been a fun-filled ten months and life won’t be the same now I’ve said goodbye to the Yamaha Tracer 900GT. With my longest solo tour to date, and weekends away with...
MCN Fleet: The Suzuki SV650X is like owning a puppy
06 February 2019 by
Or at least I think it is… Over the last 11 months the £6199 Suzuki SV650X has wormed its way into my heart and I will be sad to see it go back to its true custodians in the coming weeks. With...
MCN Fleet: Triumph Tiger 1200 XCA - Luggage options
28 January 2019 by
One of the real benefits of adventure bikes is that you can lug stuff around easily – whether that’s a load of camping gear to Africa, or the Christmas shop back from Sainsburys. Like most...
Ducati Panigale V4 S: 8467 miles of V4 heaven
09 January 2019 by
Update 9: Ducati V4 S - 8467 miles of V4 heaven Published 9 January 2019 A look back on my year with Ducati's stunner: 626 miles Friday 20th April: collect my V4 S from Ducati UK, Silverstone. Scoot...
MCN Fleet: Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX SE's final sunset
15 November 2018 by
It might seem like a fair amount of riding for nine months of movement, but 9612 miles disappear with no effort whatsoever aboard the Ninja H2 SX SE. If I hadn’t been distracted by other two-wheeled...
MCN Fleet: A riding year with a Yamaha MT-09 SP
02 November 2018 by
Over the last six months our Yamaha MT-09SP test bike has been subjected to everything from 900-mile days, to commuting to fast-group trackdays. We wanted to leave you with our final thought on the SP...
MCN Fleet: CB1000R+ first service and new luggage
23 October 2018 by
Service please! Barely having cocked my leg over the new Honda CB1000R, I find myself riding it off to Honda for its first service, I arrive with 601 miles on the clock, perfect. Related: full Honda...
MCN Fleet: Ducati Scrambler 1100 - Your questions answered
23 October 2018 by
Ducati Scrambler 1100 Special long term test review Sports reporter Oli Rushby is spending the summer with Ducati's Scrambler 1100 Special... as well as a hefty 138-mile round trip commute to our...
MCN Fleet: Over 6000 miles and the love continues to flourish
11 October 2018 by
What have we learned after 6000 miles on the café-style Kawasaki Z900RS? After trackdays, commutes and even a trip to the TT, MCN Senior Road Tester Adam Child reveals all. Read the Kawasaki...
MCN Fleet: Your KTM 790 Duke questions answered
28 September 2018 by
Q Do you miss having adjustable suspension? Johnny Hinds, on email In a way their absence of any damping adjusters is liberating, particularly at trackdays. This is an uncluttered motorcycle with a...
MCN Fleet: Getting dirty with the BMW F850 GS
03 September 2018 by
UPDATE 2: Getting Dirty with the F850 GS I have to admit that I’m not really the off road type. Sure I was a dirt bike junkie as a kid but my love for off road dwindled and I’ve become more...
MCN FLEET: Zero DSR has a lot to offer
29 August 2018 by
I've had the odd go on an electric bike, but actually owning one, running one day in and day out is a whole different ball game. First of all there's the lack of a clutch, of gears, of engine noise.
MCN Fleet: Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sport - life so far
06 August 2018 by
MCN Fleet: Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sport On route to the TET - let the adventure begin Twelve months ago I met a guy who was on his way back from riding in Spain. He was on a fully loaded CCM...